Patch Update

[Dogfish]

I'm sorry, Dogfish, but I see the glass half-full, not half-empty. Would you rather not have this game than have it and know they're working on the issues?

Yes. I've stated several times that the game was not ready to be released. I think they should've delayed it a little while longer, possibly with a closed beta. I would rather of waited; first impressions are everything. I know they'd be working on issues right now regardless of it's release status, pending studio closure or some other catastrophe.

Many of the people now screaming murder over the state of the game are the same people who would throw tantrums if it were delayed. Personally, I'd rather have the game at the time promised and know that the team will fix it than wait six months for more QA (which might not catch a lot of issues anyway).

That's personal preference, really, and some forum peeps will always complain regardless of the direction chosen, because that's the nature of these crazy intarwebz, but premature releases hurt much more in the long term than delayed releases. The flipside to that is you can use the sales from a premature release to fund patch development.

Look at Blizzard's approach to games. People might get mad that Blizzard delays releases, or even does cancellations, but then they know every game is going to be very well done, and their reputation shows it. So does their balance sheet. Since you seem to like strawman arguments, how's this one: would you rather become known as a developer who releases buggy software on time, or one that releases flawless software when it's ready?

My guess is that Sega put some pressure on CA to hold this release date. They've recently announced studio closures and downsizing, and might of told CA they had to release now or it would harm their business relationship.

CA could very easily have produced a game with minimal engine changes from Rome/M2, and their sales would have been fine. They could have skipped naval combat, stuck with a pre-gunpowder era, and generally lobbed the ball easy-style.

Instead they busted their mouse-fingers creating the best darn 18th-century simulator I have ever seen.

Yes, they could've done any of that. They also could've released it supporting only 640x480 resolution and 8-bit audio. Or just rebranded Ancient Art of War, with Ancient Art of War at Sea included as a pre-order special. That they strive to make amazing games is why I support them, and why many hold them up to be one of the premier development studios. That I hold them in such high regard is also why I am so critical of them now.

In my opinion, if they would've delayed it for another month or three, it could've been one of the best games ever. It still may be 6 months down the road after all the patches are in, the foundation is there, it just isn't finished. By the end of the year I'm sure it will be my favorite game, if nothing else thanks to the modding community, and CA's support of that community.

As it stands now, yes, it's the best darn 18th century simulator I've played. It's also the only one.

Why are you taking the continuous support as some sort of "gimme" that doesn't even count? What planet are you from? How many fantastic games have slipped out of updates because publishers didn't feel like funding the process? How many developers have walked away whistling while there were still game-breaking bugs in their product?

Let's have a little bit of perspective, and a little bit of gratitude.

I have perspective, gratitude must be earned, per release. It's a business transaction, I give them money, they give me game. It's worked that way for me and CA since Shogun. So far this time, I've given them $70 for a game I stopped playing a couple of weeks after release due to bugs.

The attitude that I need to deify or pay respects to them above and beyond me giving them money is something that really irks me. I don't worship them, nor am I a fanboy, nor do I like feeling like I have to add a caveat of how I do really like this game and appreciate the work CA has put into it before I point out it's obvious gameplay flaws that should've been caught in beta if not alpha.

Why do I take it as a "gimme"? Because I'm a 30 year old that's been in software development for over 10 years. Four of those were spent at a game development studio and publisher. I've worked on crappy games like Drakken Zor (Which, thank $deity, we convinced the suits to not release) and Looney Tunes bargain bin titles to good ones like Rainbow Six. Most of that was doing QA, and working with outside development teams to prioritize and resolve what the testers found. Patching and post-release support is part of the development process on the PC platform. Sometimes the developer doesn't get a choice to do so, because they may be reliant upon a publisher unwilling to pay for patch development, but PC developers who release buggy AAA titles without post-release support, whether or not it's their fault or their publisher's, don't usually stay in a position to release AAA titles for too long.

In that regard it is in their best interests to continue to provide support, both from a community relations and from a business perspective. Yes, sometimes publishers or developers walk away, usually when it doesn't make financial sense due to it being a niche title, or resources are being pulled to other titles, or if the publisher is a bad one that refuses to pay the developer to make patches, but that shouldn't be the case here. ETW is their marquee "revolutionary" title, and it is part of an established franchise. A franchise that has the potential to continue being a gold mine, so long as the reputation of that franchise continues to hold value. So yes, to me it is a "gimme" that they provide the support that they are, considering the current state of the game and it's potential effect on the value of their franchise.

Also, you'll find that my home planet listed in my location tag on the left side of your browser window. You needn't of asked.